We Don’t Gatekeep: Lidavi’s Onboarding Process Explained
we recently welcomed some (super exciting) new clients here at Lidavi Social... they joined us just a couple weeks apart, and our onboarding process ensured things went smoothly from day one.
after onboarding many new clients this year alone, we've developed a system that's comprehensive (but not complicated) and we're not trying to gatekeep! without further ado, here's our foolproof onboarding method for establishing a smooth transition and a great working relationship.
pt 1: signed, sealed, delivered...💰📝
step 1: send off automated email: once the contract is signed and the first invoice paid, we acknowledge payment receipt via an automated email from our head of social media (HSM) welcoming the new client and providing their welcome packet and questionnaire. these materials will help us get to know our new client better and get started on their custom social media strategy!
step 2: schedule kickoff call: our head of social media (HSM) assigns a social media manager (SMM) to our new client, who sends an email within 2 business days. if the client has filled out their questionnaire, this email includes a link to our calendly for scheduling the kickoff call, ensuring everyone's availability! if the questionnaire still needs to be completed, our SMM will reach out with a friendly reminder to fill it out.
part 2 - preparing our tool kit 🔨
slack: we create a dedicated and customized slack workspace for our new client. we invite our client to the workspace so that our teams can communicate effectively while we work together. 😊 we're a slack first agency, so we like to centralize all of our communications in there before venturing into the (kind of scary) world of email inboxes.
at the same time, we create an internal slack channel dedicated to our new client where we collaborate, brainstorm, and share updates with our remote team.
clickup: clickup is our project management platform of choice. we set up a folder, content calendar, and dashboard tailored to our client's needs and invite them into clickup to collaborate with us! clickup can be overwhelming for first-time users, so we keep dashboards simple and to the point, (and always include a loom walk-through to make things easier).
canva: to ensure designs stayed organized and that our client's branding stays consistent, we create a new canva folder for their account. we use canva's awesome brand kit tool, which lets us easily organize branded design assets like logos, fonts, icons, photos, and colors to maintain the integrity of our client's brand identity.
part 3 - meeting prep
before the kickoff call, our team delves into the questionnaire provided by our new client .🤓 we conduct thorough research to understand their brand, unique offerings, and target audience, ensuring we come prepared for the kickoff call! we also create and share a detailed agenda in advance, making sure we leave time for questions and an overview of next steps.
part 4 - kickoff call
the kickoff call marks the beginning of the strategy development phase, with key attendees including our SMM, and HOS. the SMM leads this call, following the agenda and recording the meeting 📝.
during the kickoff call, we share our timeline for strategy development to the first post going live and set up a tentative date for the strategy presentation meeting.
after the client call, the SMM and HOS meet for a debrief and set up a game plan for strategy and content development. the SMM also connects with the account's content creator to share findings from the call.
part 5 - strategy development & presentation 🧠
after the kickoff call, our social media manager compiles shares our discoveries with our content creator and we get to work creating our client's custom strategy as a team! that process looks a little like this:
our social media manager and content creator create the initial strategy
our team meets internally to review the strategy and make any needed edits
the social media manager outlines an action plan based on our starting data and market research
we compile the finalized strategy in a beautiful canva presentation, complete with mockups of the instagram grid and highlight covers so that the client can visualize what their new and improved social media presence will look like
once we're done, we share the final strategy presentation with the client on our strategy call. on this call, we're always sure to clarify our posting start date and emphasize the workflow we follow for the content approval process.
our client receives a copy of their strategy to review in depth on their own time and they also have the opportunity to share their feedback during the call! once we get the green light (which usually happens on the call because our clients are amazing and trust us to do our thing), we get to work on content and add it to clickup for client feedback and approval!
part 6 - finalizing that posting schedule ✅
the date that the first post goes live is usually 3-4 weeks from our kick off call. this marks the exciting moment when our new client's social media strategy takes flight and their social media accounts begin to shine!
So let us know... how do YOU onboard new Social Media clients? Comment below and tell us, and be sure to send this article to a fellow Social Media Manager who could use these tips and tricks! 🥰
